When a higher frequency is desired for satellite communications, an atmosphere propagation study is generally required. For instance, a low power transmitter (e.g., a beacon source) is attached to the satellite. The low power transmitter normally does not transmit any data, but instead transmits a beacon (e.g., continuous waveform (CW) signal) to a receiving station on Earth. The receiving station studies include the CW signal fades, the signal propagation delay and the signal group velocity changes due to weather effects. This study is typically conducted over 3-5 years to obtain sufficient statistics. For instance, if the weather in a certain area has high rate of rain, then the statistics will show that the transmitter power may have to be increased. However, if the receiving station is located in a desert with little or no rain, the statistics may show that the transmitter power may not have to be increased.
However, with a conventional beacon source, as frequency is increased, it becomes a challenge to build a new beacon source for the transmitter on the satellite. This is because at higher frequencies, transistors do not function efficiently and tube manufacturing also becomes a challenge. Thus, a new beacon configuration or architecture may be beneficial.